Ahearn keeps House seat after recount

Hurst loses bid by 118 votes

HAMPTON — Republican Sharleene Hurst gained an additional 18 votes in a recount but still lost her state House bid to serve the new floterial district consisting of Hampton, Hampton Falls and Seabrook.

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By Patrick Cronin

seacoastonline.com

By Patrick Cronin

Posted Nov. 20, 2012 at 2:00 AM

By Patrick Cronin

Posted Nov. 20, 2012 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

HAMPTON — Republican Sharleene Hurst gained an additional 18 votes in a recount but still lost her state House bid to serve the new floterial district consisting of Hampton, Hampton Falls and Seabrook.

A recount held Friday in Concord confirmed that Democrat Elaine Ahearn, of Hampton Falls, defeated Hurst in the Nov. 6 election.

But instead of winning by 136 votes, she won by 118.

Hurst said she requested the recount "to bring closure" to her unsuccessful campaign.

At the Nov. 6 election, Ahearn was the top vote getter in Hampton and Seabrook. She won Hampton by a vote a 4,465 to 4,040 and Seabrook by a tally of 1,779 to 1,775. Hurst defeated Ahearn in her hometown of Hampton Falls by a vote of 507 to 800.

The Hampton Republican said she owed it to the people who supported her campaign to ensure the final count was accurate. Four teams of people recounted the ballots at the Statehouse on Friday.

For Ahearn, this was her first successful campaign for a House seat. She has run in every election since 2002, but has never been elected, according to information supplied by Project Vote Smart.

Ahearn said she decided to run again because of her 14 grandchildren. "My grandchildren's futures should be as full of promise, as mine was at their age," Ahearn said.